Reformist Mousavi calls for detente

TEHRAN, April 7 (UPI) -- The fluid foreign policy of Tehran is to blame for the variety of problems facing Iran, the Reformist presidential candidate said.

Mir-Hossein Mousavi, in his first news conference since announcing his candidacy in March, called for change in the Iranian stance on international relations, Press TV reports.

"We must adopt a policy of detente and build confidence in the international arena to protect our national interests," he said.

Mousavi has embraced sweeping reforms in his bid to unseat Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The Reformist in April called for a departure from an ideology that quiets the voice of dissent and limits social freedoms.

The media in Iran is monitored closely by the clerical regime. Television in the Islamic republic is state-run, and newspapers are frequently shut down for allegations of opposing the government.

Mousavi, a stark critic of Ahmadinejad, was the prime minister of Iran from 1981 to 1989. His decision to run prompted former President Mohammad Khatami to pull out of the race, claiming concerns over party unity.